Sh'ay Thoughts on Roses. 497 



producing very early hybrid perpetual roses in the open air. 

 In April, 1847, after our long and severe winter, I found 

 some dwarf plants of hybrid perpetual roses of nearly all 

 the leading sorts left on hand ; these were planted out towards 

 the end of the month, and pruned quite close. Owing to 

 the dry summer, they made very short-jointed shoots, and 

 were in autumn, for the most part, dwarf compact bushes. 

 Under the usual course, these plants would have been cut in 

 quite closely in March, 1848, but they were forgotten till 

 they were in full leaf. Observing their flower-buds to be in 

 a very forward state, I determined to let them remain un- 

 touched. They came into flower in the middle of May. and 

 have bloomed most beautifully. Plants of the same varie- 

 ties, pruned in the usual way early in March, commenced to 

 bloom about the 8th or 10th of June ; thus giving a differ- 

 ence of more than three weeks between plants pruned in 

 spring, as usual, and those not pruned. 



Now for a method of bringing this into practice. To have 

 early roses, we must not think of removing our plants every 

 season: how then is it to be brought about, this new non- 

 pruning system ? Simply thus. Early in September, shorten 

 all the strong and robust shoots of those hybrid perpetual 

 roses which you wish to bloom early, to within six or eight 

 buds of their base; they will then, in the course of the au- 

 tumn, push forth laterals, the growth of which will be 

 stopped by chilly November. They will thus form short 

 spurs ; from these, and from the bases of those shoots which 

 bloom in September and October, mind that every truss of 

 flowers is cut ofl" as soon as faded. You will have an 

 abundant crop of very early flowers. Do not touch your 

 plant with the knife after October. 



How gloriously beautiful have been, and are, the hybrid 

 perpetual roses this season ! The glowing warmth of May 

 gave them a vividness of color quite unprecedented. Baronne 

 Prevost has been perfectly splendid. This rose ought not to 

 be mixed with others ; it is so massive and grand that a 

 large bed in every good rose garden should be appropriated 

 to it, — plants are cheap and plentiful. Duchess of Suther- 

 land never before shone in such beautiful array. Madame 

 Laffay, WiUiam Jesse, Dr. Marx, Aubernon, Augustine 



VOL. XV. — NO. XI. 63 



